Meghan Ory – Biography and Personal Life, Movies and TV Shows

Meghan Ory is a talented and witty Canadian TV and film actress who is perhaps most popular for her role as Red Riding Hood on the ABC fantasy TV series, Once Upon a Time. Asides that, she also starred as in the CBS drama, Intelligence. Although now discontinued, she will be remembered for her perfect depiction of her character, Riley Neal. As of the time of this writing, she stars as Abby O’Brien in the Hallmark family drama Chesapeake Shores. More than her celebrity profile, Ory would perhaps appreciate being addressed as a lovely wife and adorable mother of one. Her incredible track record is worth a peep. So, let’s give you that privilege. Ready?

Meghan Ory’s Biography

Meghan Ory was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, on born August 20, 1982, to the family of Nathan E. Ory and Bonnie Ory. She and her brother, Jesse Ory spent the best part of their formative years in Victoria where Meghan attended Royal Oak Middle School and then proceeded to Claremont Secondary School. Although we’re not privy to very personal details about her childhood or what they did for a living, we know that she excelled so well in her extracurricular activities like acting—back in school—so much so that she even bagged a Fine Arts Award for Acting from Royal Oak in 1996.

Spurred by the prestigious recognition, Ory then pursued a career in acting and haven’t looked back ever since. Following her graduation from secondary school, she then proceeded to college where she acquired a degree in fine arts; after which she went to Hollywood and began some real work.

Movies and TV Shows

Career-wise, Meghan Ory got her head start with a role in the 1999 Fox Family Channel TV film, The Darklings; starring alongside Suzanne Somers and Timothy Busfield. She then landed a guest appearance on the TV series The Crow: Stairway to Heaven. However, her big break came in 2000 with a regular TV role on the Fox Family TV series, Higher Ground. The following year, 2001, she was cast in the Canadian TV series Vampire High.

In 2003, Ory made another appearance in the TV films, Lucky 7 and National Lampoon’sThanksgiving Family Reunion, as well as the 2004 releases; Life As We Know It, Smallville, The Collector, and Family Reunion. In the same year, Meghan Ory made another first when she appeared in the feature film, Decoys. Although she’s worked with Decoy’s director, Matthew Hastings, on Higher Ground and Vampire High, this was an entirely new experience for the ace actress. And she nailed it. Only two years later, she would play the main role, Maggie, in the UPN series South Beach, and Brianna in the mini-series Merlin’s Apprentice. That year, she also appeared as Jill in the feature film John Tucker Must Die and as Mellissa Brennan in Her Sister’s Keeper.

The following year, 2007, Meghan Ory was cast as in the role, Kit, in Blonde and Blonder; in which she starred alongside the likes of Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards. 2008 saw the premiere of another TV series, Flash Gordon, where Ory appeared as Sarre (in the episode, Thicker Than Water). Although much watched in other series, perhaps Meghan Ory’s biggest hit came in the fall of 2011 when she began appearing as Red Riding Hood on the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time. The series which ran up until 2016, gave Ory one of her greatest publicity.

Although she left at the tip end of the second season of the series, she’d become a household name in the TV space. According to sources, Ory left to pursue her new show Intelligence. And by March 2013, she has been cast as the female lead role, Riley Neil in the series. However, the show was canceled after the first season owing to poor ratings. Ory later returned to make guest appearances in four and three episodes in the third and fifth seasons of Once Upon a Time, respectively.

In 2016, Meghan Ory began appearing in the TV series, Chesapeake Shores. Her character, Abby O’Brien, is a divorced career woman with two young daughters. So far, the series has aired twenty-nine episodes. Throughout her twenty-year career, Meghan Ory has appeared in over forty-two films and TV series.

Personal Life

Meghan Ory and her husband, John Reardon

Meghan Ory has been married to fellow Canadian actor, John Reardon, since 2008. We’re not sure when they began dating, but from their work history, we believe their work together in the 2006 mini-series, Merlin’s Apprentice, must’ve been the spark of their relationship. Together, the couple welcomed their first child in May of 2018. Talk about a long wait.